Amusement device.



No. 803,465. PATEN'I'ED OCT. 31, 1905.

W. F. BERNHEISEL.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLICATION rmm Mum. 190s.

{amp-mt w lo a attozmgo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed March '7, 1905. Serial No. 248,810.

To all whom, it may concern..-

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM F. BERN- HEISEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to amusement devices; and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts, as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide a device adapted to be actuated and impelled by gravity and which runs upon a track or frame and is adapted to carry persons. The device is of a nature similar to what is generally known as a switchback. The track maybe provided with ascending and descending sections or such other configuration as might be devised for imparting sensation or novelty in the movement of the car in which the passengers are carried.

The invention consists, primarily, of a track having an overhead parallel guide. The car which is adapted to run upon said track consists of a large wheel having a grooved periphery which is adapted to receive the track and also the guide located over the track. Said wheel has an open center, and in said center is rigged a carriage adapted to hold the passengers or pleasureseekers. Said carriage consists of a number of seats arranged upon a platform. Arms extend down from said platform and are provided with rollers, which are adapted to run upon the inner periphery of said wheel. An arm (or arms) extends up from said platform and is provided at its upper end with a roller, which is also adapted to run upon the inner periphery of said wheel.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of the amusement device, showing sections of the track with ascending and descending grades. Fig. II is a vertical sectional view of the track, showing the car rier located thereon. Fig. III is a sectional view of the lower portion of wheel and track,

showing one Of the lower arms of the carriage in' its relative position with relation to the inner periphery of the wheel. Fig. IV is a top plan view of a locking and retaining device employed at the ends or terminals of the track. Fig. V is a side elevation of a latch used in connection with said locking device.

The track 1 is suitably mounted upon trestles or other elevating means 2. Said track in its course may be inclined or elevated and describe curves or arcs to suit the fancy or requirements. Located above said track and extending parallel therewith is a guide 3. Said guide is suitably supported. The carrier or car consists of a wheel 4, which is provided in its outer periphery with a continuous groove 5. Said groove receives the track 1 and the guide E in a manner as illustrated in Fig. II. The wheel 4 has an open center, and located within the rim constituting the wheel 4 is a platform 6, upon which is mounted seats 7 7. At each end of the platform 6 is located a foot or dash board 8, and the said seats 7 are provided with the reversi ble backs 9 9, which may be turned to suit occasion in order that the persons traveling upon the carriage may face the direction in which they are going. The arms 10 extend down from the platform 6 and are provided at their lower ends with the rollers 11 11, which are adapted to run upon the inner periphery of the wheel 4. An arm 12 extends up from the platform 6 and is provided at its upper end with aroller 13, which is also adapted to run upon the inner periphery of the wheel 4. The center of gravity of the platform 6 and its attachments is such that the seats 7, carried by said platform, will be always horizontal, so that the passengers occupying said seats will be in vertical position, or

nearly so, whether the car be running upon a level or ascending or descending grades. The rollers 11 11 and 13 are attached to the respective arms supporting the same by means of ball-bearings 14, as indicated in Fig. III of the drawings.

At the stopping and starting points an upright 15 is provided, upon which is located a flexible buffer 16. When the wheel 4 approaches the said post, it comes in contact with the said bufier 16. A lever 17 is fulcrumed to the upright 15, and the coil-spring 18 bears at one end against the lever 17 and at its other end against the upright 15. The tension of said spring 18 is such as to keep the rear end of the lever 17 out and the front end of said lever swung toward the buffer 16. The upright 15 is also provided with a pivoted latch 19, which is adapted to catch over the upper edge of the inner portion of the lever 17 when the said portion of the said lever is brought toward the upright 15.

The mechanism above described is adapted to retain the car at the terminals or ends of the track. In so doing the inner end of the lever 17 passes within the wheel 4 and bears against the inner periphery thereof, the spring 18 holding the lever 17 in such position. hen it is desired to release the wheel 41, the operator moves the outer portion. of the lever 17, toward the upright 15 against the tension of the spring 18 and per mits the latch 19 to pass over the upper edge of the said lever. Thus the inner end of the lever is moved laterally beyond the path of the wheel 4 and the said wheel is released.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A pleasure device consisting of a track having an elevated guide extending parallel therewith, a wheel having an open center and a grooved periphery adapted to receive said track and said guide, a carriage mounted within said wheel and being so arranged as to remain at all times in substantially an upright position.

2. An amusement device consisting of a track, an elevated guide extending parallel therewith, a wheel having an open center and a grooved periphery adapted to receive said track and said guide, a platform located. within said wheel and having suitable seats, arms extending down from said platform, and having at the lower ends rollers adapted to run upon the inner periphery of the wheel, arms extending up from said platform and being provided at their upper ends with rollers adapted to run upon the inner periphery of said wheel.

3. An amusement device consisting of a track, an elevated guide extending parallel therewith, a wheel having a grooved periphery adapted to receive said track and said guide, and a means for carrying passengers,

a flexible buffer located at the end of the track in the path of said wheel, a lever so fulcrumed as to engage and disengage the rim of said wheel and a means for retaining said lever in engagement with or disengaged from the rim of said wheel.

4. An amusement device, consisting of a track, an elevated guide extending parallel therewith, a wheel having a grooved periphery adapted to receive said track and said guide, a platform located within said wheel and having suitable seats, an arm extending up from said platform substantially in alinement with. the vertical axis thereof, and hav ing at its upper end a roller adapted to engage the inner periphery of the wheel, arms extending down from said platform at an angle to the vertical axis thereof and having at their lower ends rollers adapted to engage the innerperiphery of said wheel.

5. An amusement device, consisting of a track, a guide extending parallel therewith, a wheel having a grooved periphery adapted to receive said guide and. said track, acarriage mounted within said wheel and being so arranged as to remain in substantially the same vertical position irrespective of the grade upon which the wheel is traveling, a buffer located in the path of said wheel at the end of said track, and a lever suitably fulerumed so as to engage or disengage the rim of said wheel, and means for engaging said lever with or disengaging it from the rim of said wheel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. BERNHEISEL.

Witnesses:

ANNIE Con, Jon PENNYBACKER. 

